1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pumping unit base. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable base for receiving and anchoring pumping units thereto, wherein the pumping units are designed for lifting oil or other liquids out of the ground.
2. Description of Related Art
As is well known in the oil and gas industry, pumping units, also known as pumpjacks, are often used to mechanically lift liquid out of wells when there is a lack of sufficient bottom hole pressure for the liquid to flow to the earth's surface. While various pumping units are available for use, all such units must be anchored solidly to either a foundation embedded in the ground or to a prefabricated base attached to the ground.
Due to the extreme weight of pumping units, as well as the heavy impact and vibration caused by pumping units during the pumping of wells, it has been the practice heretofore to make pumping unit foundations and bases from concrete. The pumping unit foundation or base must be able to provide a strong, level and stable support for the extremely heavy pumping unit attached thereto. As a result, no one has, until now, been able to develop a pumping unit foundation or base of any material other than concrete. The use of concrete to make pumping unit foundations and bases, however, has numerous problems and disadvantages that are overcome by the present invention.
In the case of poured concrete foundations, a pumping unit can be mounted to a stationary concrete foundation, which requires excavation, building a form, and pouring the concrete, with the ensuing waiting period for the concrete to set and to properly harden before the pumping unit can be placed thereon for use. This time-consuming process takes many days, resulting in the loss of production time, increased costs and decreased earnings. Additionally, once the pumping unit is no longer needed, the foundation is no longer useful and the concrete becomes waste material which must be disposed of in a costly manner. Removal and transport of the heavy concrete foundation away from the well site is expensive and laborious, and has become such an issue that oil and gas companies have been known to leave concrete foundations on a landowner's land after the pumping units are removed, leaving the burden of removing and disposing of concrete foundations up to the landowner.
In response to the problems associated with poured concrete foundations, portable concrete bases were developed for receiving and anchoring pumping units thereto. Portable concrete bases are cast at a production plant in a form structure that is removed after the concrete is set. The bases are then transported to the required site. Portable concrete bases, however, experience many of the same problems seen with poured concrete foundations.
Portable concrete bases are extremely heavy, typically weighing between 6,500 to 8,500 pounds, which results in great expense, labor and safety concerns associated with the transport of these concrete bases to oil and gas drilling fields Likewise, once the pumping unit is no longer being used, transport of concrete bases away from the field is, again, expensive, laborious and dangerous.
Additionally, concrete foundations and bases cannot be poured or manufactured in cold climate regions during times when temperatures fall below freezing, as water is one of the components of concrete and if the water freezes, it ruins the internal structure of the concrete. As a result, concrete bases are manufactured in areas having warmer climates and shipped, oftentimes long distances, to reach well sites in regions with cold climates.
Currently, a need exists for a pumping unit base that maintains the characteristics of extreme strength, durability and stability, yet has improved portability and practicality. While concrete materials are typically used for permanent building structures, pumping units are not permanent in nature and eventually require removal. Therefore, there is a need for a more portable and practical solution to support pumping units. An improved pumping unit base is needed that has characteristics that make it easier and less expensive to move into a drilling field for use, as well as easier and less expensive to move out of a drilling field once the attached pumping unit is no longer being used. Additionally, a pumping unit base is needed that is able to withstand outdoor elements and is able to support a heavy operating pumping unit. Unlike existing concrete bases that require the use of large trucks and winching equipment for handling and maneuvering such bases, a need exists for a base that is sufficiently light that it can be handled and maneuvered by workers rather than requiring heavy, expensive machinery.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists in the art for a portable pumping unit base which overcomes, mitigates or solves the above problems in the art. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.